Posted on 04/30/2003 1:49:29 PM PDT by Dog Gone
New Delhi, April 30 Even as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) is turning uncomfortably familiar for Indians, the Union health ministry is confident that the strong immunity of the people in this country will successfully fight the deadly virus. “Immunity of the people in India is much higher than in other countries,” Union health minister Sushma Swaraj told FE. Although some SARS cases in India have shown positive lab tests, clinically they are not sick, Ms Swaraj said in defence of her argument. This is despite more and more cities emerging on the SARS radar every other day in India. The government is not alone in displaying calm. A reality check shows that the hospitality industry, which is among the high-risk sectors, too appears to believe in the immunity strength of Indians. Although the health minister said that red alert had been sounded in hotels through the tourism ministry, at least half a dozen five-star and deluxe hotels, that FE checked with, did not have any anti-SARS measures in place. No SARS forms, no screening, no gizmos to catch patients by symptoms at any of the hotels. In most other countries, filling up of health declaration forms and having body temperature taken are part of the check-in process in hotels now. When this correspondent contacted hotels asking for the formalities that guests travelling from SARS-affected countries needed to fulfill, front desk officials replied: “Absolutely none.” Reason: Screening is already being done at the airports, they said, so there’s no need for duplication. Some of these hotels, while assuring FE that there won’t be any SARS-related formality for anyone checking in, said a lot of their guests are currently from Singapore. And what about those not coming straight from the airport? And what about the checks at seminars, conferences and meetings, that are taking place without a break at these hotels? “It is not possible to check so many people for the SARS symptoms,” a reception personnel at a prominent five-star hotel in the Capital said. The spokespersons of some of these five-star hotels in the city were not available for comment. Meanwhile, between all the claims and counter-claims on the exact health status of SARS patients, Ms Swaraj said: “We are not transmitting SARS locally in India.” Almost all lab-positive cases are people who have travelled from abroad, she added. And even as the world community is holding summits on the disease and anti-SARS measures have been drawn up to near perfection in several countries, India is putting up a brave front. The message that the government is sending across is “there’s no need to panic”. Perhaps due to the comfort level of the government, SARS-awareness drive is yet to take off. Ms Swaraj said: “We are ready with the communication package.” The SARS awareness campaigns will be aired both on Doordarshan and private TV channels. All India Radio will also be roped in for the same, said the minister. On the detection front, the government had plans to import thermogram kits earlier, but it is scouting for cheaper indigenous alternatives now. A thermogram that the Hong Kong airport has installed costs $87,000 (US dollars). “The government is in talks with a Bangalore firm that is making similar temperature sensoring gadget,” she said. And while countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore and China are developing hi-tech devices for detection of SARS and announcing steps such as quarantine on currency, “India is in touch with them on each and every development through the missions,” Ms Swaraj said.
Jeeze I wouldn't want him taking my temperature! What a jerk!
In a nutshell, 23% of Caucasians/Indians may have high risk, and 61% of the Chinese/Japanese. If so, and this is only speculation at this point, then the Indians are partly right.
However, 23% is still high enough for a nation of 1 billion people to have a HUGE problem. The Spanish Flu of 1918 supposedly infected only 25% of the U.S. population, and it was not nearly as deadly as SARS. India has really blown this thing, starting at the top.
The most relevant thread on this topic is here:
I gotta admit, this made me laugh. Even though I know it is literally true.
For anyone who missed yesterday's thread on India, and wants an adventure in the truly surreal, go here:
No I won't.
We're screwed. This disease is going to remain with us until it mutates. (Into something less severe preferably)
I find it hard to believe that a country is handling this worse than China. This sucks beyond belief.
Any country that can survive after swimming in the Ganges River is certain to have terrific immunity against a piker like SARS!
We could be rich, Gritty, rich!
...ah,... um,... OK.
You do the bottling, I'll do the marketing. Let's make it a corporation with rights-of-survivorship?
We can label it as "Hillary's Immunity Potion". We can tout it as a tonic "unbelievably filthy, yet possessed with total immunity".
We'll make a fortune!
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